Pigment conditioner



Sept. 24, 1940. Q R PLUMMER 2,215,912

PIGMENT CONDITIONER Filed March 18, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 24, 1940. o. R. PLUMMER 2,215,912

PIGMENT CONDITIONER Filed March 18, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 24, 1940. O, R PLUMMER 2,215,912

' PIGMENT coNnITIoNEn Filed MarChlB; 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Sept. 24, 1940 K "I IGMENT CONDITIONER y Orla. R. Plummer, Napoleon, Ohio yAl'lplioation March A18, 1940, Serial No. 324,644

3 Claims.

This invention relates topainting or coating 'material treatment toward" uniformity of rbody yfor application even by spraying.

, This invention has utility in motive-fluid-operable spray equipment in conjunction with an agitator in the supply for such equipment as operated by motive fluid.

, Referring to the drawings:

A Fig. 1 is a side elevation of `a conditioner or agitator, parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the container or agitator tank, showing the head mounting elements of theunit;

Fig. 3 `is a detail view in plan of the double 15 acting fluid motor; v 'I Fig; 4 is a view of the motor from the left of Fig. 5 is a section onvthe V--V, 3,'

showing ,the transmission from the motor;

, Fig. 6 is a detail View ofthe lower portion of the Stirrer and its connection to the drive;

Fig. 7 is a vsection on thevline VII-VII, Fig. 6, vshowing the weave lortwist in the stirrer blade,

and its mounting; Y 7

Fig. 8 is a view-of themotor from-the right of Fig. 4;

, Fig. 9` is a section of the motor on the line IX--IX, Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a section on the line X-X, Fig. 1, showing the relation of the stirrer elements to the container. Y Electric motor I is connected to drive compressor 2 (Fig. 1) for supplying compressed air through duct 3 to fitting 4 on head 5 of a convtaineror seamless tank having bottom 6 and cylindrical side walls 'I. These side walls 1 carry brackets-8 from which swing arms 9 having wing Vscrews I0 (Figs. l, 2) for engaging with flange II in compressing gasket I2 into sealing position at upper opening or top I3 of this container. This top 5 has thereon air gage I4, safety valve I5, filler opening I6 with removable cap Il, and relief cock I8, which may be operated to relieve any internal pressureV before removing the cap |1` for filling through the opening I6 o-f additional pigment I9 into they vessel or tank. This fitting 4 has line 2|) therefrom in communication with the interior of this vessel or tank to 50 establish pressure in region 2| above -the pigment I9 as controlled by pressure reduction valve 22. From this fitting 4 line 23 extends toV grip 24 for air to spray gun 25. Central flange of this top or head 5 of the container has a plurality of Aoutlets 21.' Valve 28 therein is effective for conasthe pigment supply to the Concentrically with -this'tube 3|, this flange 26 has shaft 32 therethrough with gland packing 33 therefor. This shaft 32 as extending concentrically through the tube 3| has key 34 (Fig. 6) for anchoring port-carrying disk 35 with this shaft 32. This ported disk 35 has fixed therewith downward nare chamber 36 to openbottom 3l. From this hub flare portion 36 radial arms eX- tendl of inverted lT-form having upstanding flange 38 and bottom 39. These have clearance 43 from the bottom 6 of the tank.

Bolts 4I, in the upstanding flange 38 of the radiating arms, anchor straps 42 having 45 pitch or twist therein as ascending to frame 43 -'(Figs. l, 10) with straight portion 44 upward therefrom to top frame 45. This upper work is a skeleton with full clearance'as to the frames 4345, from the tube 3|. The entire mounting is at the base of the tube at the perforate washer (35 with the upper portion of the flare, providing bearingA 46 with the lower terminus of the tube 3|. Accordingly, in rotation or alternating rotary motion of' this shaftl 32, the actuation'is of the stirrer for the'blades 38 to have a pick-up similarly in each direction of rotation. A weave of 45 in the upwardly extending straps 4,2 tends to establish a direction olf ovv or circulation in 'the body as initiated from the radial blade 38. In theinstance' this direction of Aflow promotion 'be forelevating or lifting the pigment, at once there is reversal of the'direction of rotation, the

counter-flow or down action is effected. In practice, this hasmeant with the minimum of energy applied that there is an efficient agitation or stirring for producing uniformity in the material l 9 even as against tendencies for precipitation or separation. y

Eii'iciency for spray painting equipment use is obtained' in 'that the motive fluid for the spray gunmay, from the same power source, be the motive fluid toI operate this stirrer which has been'effective with consumption of but three Acubic feet per minute in a tank of as much as seventy-live gallons capacity and having pigment at least as much as half full therein. v

To such end, from this fitting 4 line 4l (Fig. 4) extends past Valve 48 to line 49 to port 56 in cylinder body 5I (Fig. 9). From this port 50 there isduct 52 extending to port 53 (Figs. 8, 9) at the opposite end of the housing 5I. This is accordingly al fluid' pressure supply as adjusted by the valve 48. 'Ihis body 5I provides slide valve ways 59, 55, in alignment. From the port 5E! there is valve portl 58 which may be shut off by bar 51 locating cut-out 58 away from port 59. At this position away from the port '59 the bar 51 may be so located that the port 59 is in exhaust position or open to the atmosphere as to cylinder 59 in the body 5I. At this time the bar 51 is so located that port 6I from the port 53 is in communication through cut-out 62 with port 53 for pressure iiuid supply to cylinder 64 as the cylinder 85 is exhausted. The slide valve bar 51 is yieldably held seated by U-shaped spring members 55 in notches 86 of the housing 5I and notches 51 of the bar 51. This bar or slide valvel 51 has anchored thereto by screws 68 an actuator plate 69 having a downwardly extending tipy or tongue (Fig. 5)y extending` through opening 1I in the housing 5I between the cylinders 59 and 5A.

In the cylinder 88 is piston 12 from which extends piston rod or bar 13 to piston 14 in the cylinder 64'. Bolts 15 assemble cylinder head 18 against packing 11 for sealing the cylinder 64. Mounted on the .cylinder rod or bar 13 by screws 18 is member 'I9 having terminal upstanding ears 80 which, as the piston 12 is at the inward limit of stroke, strikes the tongue 10 for thereby shifting the slide valve bar 51 in reversing the air flow or motive fluid for this motor. In the reverse travel of the piston 12 having rings 12', as the piston 14 with its rings 14 recovers from its position near the head 16 to the remote position therefrom, then the upstanding ear 80 adjacent the piston 14 strik-es the tongue 10 to shift the bar 51 for motive fluid counterflow, that is, exhausting of th-e cylinder 64 and motive fluid supply to the cylinder 60.

Fixed with this bar 13, 19, is rack bar 8|- in mesh with pinion 82, the extent of reciprocation of this rack being such as to turn the pinion 82 herein less than a full rotation. This pinion 82 is integral with sleeve 83 (Fig. 5) having spline 84 engaging with the shaft 32. Set screw 85 may further anchor this sleeve and pinion in its rotation with the shaft 32 and against longitudinal movement relatively one to the other.

This body 5I between the cylinders 80, 63, has below the rack intermediate body portion 88 which may be engaged by bolts 81 of U-shaped bracket 88 having its feet 89 (Fig. 1) anchored by bolts 90 with the head 5. This body 5| is accordingly firmly supported on the head and has therein about the shaft 32 bushing 9| (Fig. 5) carrying anti-friction thrust bearing 92 against the lower side of the sleeve 83 as a support for this stirrer mechanism. Screws 93 mount sleeve 94 carrying anti-friction roller bearing 95 as a lateral support for the shaft 32 above the sleeve 83. Y

This body intermediate portion 85 of the motor frame has chamber 96 therein, froml which extends pipe 91 having upstanding ller opening 98 (Fig. 8) which may be closed by cap 99. In supplying lubricant to this filler opening 98, lubricant I UI) in the .chamber 96 is thus above the bottom of the cylinders 60, 84, and in cylinder reciprocation is effective lubrication for such cylinders, but with the pressure in these single acting cylinders from the one side only, the liquid is normally blown out of the cylinders back into the intermediate chamber 98 for lubricating the cylinders, rack and pinion. There is thus an efficient lubrication in a simplified construction. The slide *Valve is simply mounted and yieldably held in position. As so disposed, housing plate IUI anchored by screws IIJ2 with this main body 5I is an efficient assembly against casual disturbance in operation hereunder. To remove the cap or top, the flexible ducts therefrom are no interference. The cap or top may be lifted out with the tube 3| therewith. In the event the set screw 85 be slacked, the transmission mechanism and shaft 32 may be left in the vessel, While if the set screw 85 be in lock position, the stirrer unit may be taken therefrom and the tank thus be entirely clear for removal or substitute material or other care charge. Projecting knurled stem |03 (Fig. 5) fixed with the bar 51 permits manual shifting for locating the valves in proper starting position.

In the operation hereunder, this tank 1 may be chargedrwith the coating material to the extent desired, the top 5 clamped in position thereon, and the flexible tubes 3, 23, 29, in connection from the pressure supply to the spray gun 25. With the head 5 clamped into sealing position by the wing screws I0, the valves maybe manipulated for the desired pressure in the portion 2I of the container, thus to promote ow upward in the tube 3I lin lieu of having induction action at the gun suflicient to draw such up. Accordingly, this regulation may be in keeping with the desired quantity of material to be used. Adjustment of the valve 48 may be for such rate of l reciprocation as may be desired for this motive iiuid motor of the stirrer or agitator. As this motor operates, say a clockwise turn may cause the material to iow toward the bottom. Its immediate reversal is a counter-turn for such material to flow upward in addition to the circulatory flow. The .compound action is eiicient for uniform distribution of the solids in the material so that such material as in the clearance region 49 below the arms 38may work upward into the flare 36 and by Way of the tube 3| about the shaft 32 to be discharged by the duct 21 with the rate of flow cut-off determined by the valve 28 with the further adjustment at the spray gun 25.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. In pigment conditioners for combination with spray equipment, a receptacle, a closure for sealing the receptacle, a central upwardlydirected discharge duct fixed with the closure, said duct being provided with an intake opening near the bottom of the receptacle, a drive shaft housed by the duct to extend toward the intake opening of the duct, a stirrer in the receptacle adjacent the intake opening to the duct, connecting means for the stirrer to the shaft, a pressure fluid supply to the receptacle exterior of the discharge duct, and discharge means providing a passage from the duct adjacent the closure, whereby said fluid supply to the sealed receptacle may effect upward flow of pigment or liquid charge in the receptacle as submerging the duct intake to ow through said duct intake upward in the duct about the shaft, and therefrom through the discharge means.

2. In pigment conditioners for combination with spray equipment, a receptacle, a closure for sealing the receptacle, a central upwardly-directed dischargeduct fixed with the closure, said duct being provided with an intake opening near the bottom of the receptacle, a shaft housed by the duct to extend toward the intake opening of the duct, alternating rotary drive means for the shaft to agitate pigment carrying material as submerging the duct intake opening, a stirrer in the receptacle adjacent the. intake opening to the duct, connecting means for the stirrer to the.

shaft, a pressure iiuid supply to the receptacle exterior of the discharge duct, and discharge means providing a `passage from the v,duct adjacent theclosurawhereby ysaid uid supply to the sealed receptacle may veffect upward flow of pigment material charge in the receptacle as submerging the duct intake to flow through said duct intake upwardin the duct about the shaft, and therefrom through the discharge means.

3. In pigment conditioners for, combination with spray equipment, a receptacle, a closure for sealing the receptacle, a central upwardly-directed discharge duct fixed with the closure, said duct being provided with an intake opening near the bottom of the receptacle, a shaft housed by the duct to extend toward the intake opening of the duct, alternating rotary drive `means. for the shaft to agitate pigment carrying material asy submerging the duct intake opening, a stirrer in -the receptacle adjacent the intake opening to the duct, said stirrer comprising upwardly extending arms having an axially extending pitch in the A lower yportion thereof, connecting means for the stirrer to the shafta pressure fluid supply tothe receptacle exterior lof the discharge duct, and discharge means providing a passage from the duct adjacent the closure, whereby. said uid l supply to the 'sealed receptacle may effect upward flow of pigment vmaterial charge in the receptacle as submerging the'duct intake to iiow through said duct intake upward in the duct kabout the shaft, and therefrom through the discharge means.A

ORLA R. PLUMMER. 

